Page 72 of A Rancher's Vow
All that was true, but mostly, it was because when she glanced up at Dustin’s face, he smiled as if she were the only person in the room.
How she felt inside—it was completely wrong. Walking up the steps to his side should not feel so right.
But the truth remained. In spite of it being impossible, by his side was where she wanted to be.
In frontof Dustin and Charity, the crowd was a sea of smiling faces. Between friends and family, the familiar outweighed the strangers by a lot. The curiosity seekers had arrived, but the mostly female additions seemed willing to gawk a little and enjoy the ambiance of the small-town gathering.
Malachi finished clapping and gestured for everyone else to quieten down as well. “Charity, welcome to the stage. You’re not in dance gear, or I’d invite you to teach us a few ballet steps.”
Charity wrapped her fingers loosely around Dustin’s arm. “Any time you want lessons, Mr. Fields, I’ll happily organize an adult beginner class.” She turned to the audience. “Maybe we need another community challenge. Where’s Madison Zhao?”
Hands waved, fingers pointed, and the woman who had been the reason Dustin had ended up wearing a tiara while doing pirouettes a few years earlier stood. She was noticeably pregnant, while her toddler son sat in her husband’s lap beside her. Their teenage daughter was one of the girls at the Stone table with Sasha and Emma.
Charity motioned to Madison. “Anything else you can dream up that requires my best friend’s father to wear a tutu?”
“Oh, that’s not—” Malachi attempted, but it was no use. The crowd was already shouting ideas at Madison and approval at Charity.
“Of course,” Madison interrupted. “Always happy to put on my thinking cap for a good cause.”
“Embarrassing my dad is a great cause,” Fern piped up.
Malachi leaned in, still using the microphone so the entire audience could hear him. He shook his head as he spoke and wagged a finger at Charity and Dustin. “I expect these type of…”
“Shenanigans,” the unknown troublemaker at the back of the room offered.
Dustin wasn’t sure why that made Tamara and her sisters lose it, but the laughter in the room was like a living, breathing thing at this point.
Poor Malachi rolled with the punches. He winked where only Dustin and Charity could see before finishing his sentence. “I expect this when Tansy is around, but I see even when she’s temporarily left the country, she’s firmly placedshenanigansinto other capable hands.”
Dustin had to agree.
Charity gestured to Malachi’s microphone. “If I may? In the interest of allowing the actual auction to proceed, I have one announcement, and then Dustin and I will be out of your way.”
“It’s all yours.” Malachi handed over the mic then eyed his youngest daughter. “You. Stay where I can see you.”
More laughter as Fern blinked innocently.
Dustin wasn’t sure what was going on, but he stayed at Charity’s side as she squeezed his fingers tight then lifted the mic to speak.
“This is a fundraiser, and as it appears I’ve removed one of the participants from circulation—sorry, not sorry—” More hooting and whistling erupted. “I have something to share on behalf of Silver Stone ranch. A few years back the ladies of the ranch started what they call the Silver Heart fund. It’s been used to help when needed in the community for several projects, including the school playground upgrades last summer.”
“Go, Silver Heart!”
Dustin still couldn’t figure out who was shouting, but again, he agreed with the sentiment.
Charity nodded. “This year, I’ve been tasked by the Silver Heart ladies, Tamara, Ivy, Kelli, and Ginny, to give this donation to the auction since there are no Silver Stone men to offer up as tribute.” She slipped her hand from Dustin’s so she could pull an envelope from her pocket and present it to Malachi. She turned back to face the crowd. “Bid generously on the rest of the volunteers, and we hope you enjoy your visit to Heart Falls.”
She passed the mic back to Malachi then reached for Dustin’s hand to lead him off the stage.
“One minute.” Malachi had the envelope open and was pulling out the cheque. “Because we want to keep things on the up and up, and because I know you’re all as curious as cats in a dairy…”
He paused for dramatic effect.
It worked. The entire audience leaned forward in their seats. Dustin curled his arm around Charity and held her to his side.
“Oh, my.” Malachi glanced away from the cheque to Charity, then at the table where the Stone family sat. “I’ll keep this short. Thank you, ladies. The Heart Falls fundraiser thanks you.” He lifted the cheque in the air and raised his voice triumphantly. “We’re starting the auction today withten thousand dollars.”
There was a collective inhale, then the crowd offered up a rush of shouts and clapping loud enough to make the rafters shake. Dustin’s sister and sisters-in-law all grinned with delight at the response.
